Leather-cleaning machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

H. A. WEBSTER. LEATHER CLEANING MACHINE.

No. 407,310. Pa tentedJuly 16, 1889.

WITNESSES.

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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. A. WEBSTER.

LEATHER 0LEAN ING MAGHINE. I

Patented July 16, 1889.

INVENT B'Fl: 4M

I EEIEEE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAROLD A. \VEBSTER, OF HAVERHILL, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO LEIVIS F. TENNEY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

LEATHER-CLEANING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 407,310, dated July 16, 1889.

Application filed January 12, 1889. Serial No. 296,138. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HAROLD A. \VEBSTER, of Haverhill, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new 5 and useful Improvements in Leather Brushing or Cleaning Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for itsobj ect to provide improved means for cleaning and brightening the uppers of boots or shoes or other articles of leather or other material in factories, to remove finger-marks and other stains incidental to the processes of manufacture, and to give the surface a bright and attractive appearance.

In performing the operation it is found that the best results are produced by using a rapidly-rotating moistened brush. Much difficulty has been experienced in keeping the brush properly moistened. If its bristles dip directly in the Water, the water is taken up in such quantities that it forms in drops, which are rapidly thrown off by centrifugal force.

My invention relates, chiefly, to means for applying water so thinly and evenly to the brush that it cannot collect in drops or masses of sufficient weight to be thrown off centrifugally; and to this end-it consists in a wick 0 or other absorbent body adapted to conduct water from a reservoir by capillary action, combined with a rotary brush, the wick being in contact with the periphery of the brush.

The invention also consists in certain minor improvements, all of which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

I11 the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a front elevation of an organized machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 represents a section on line as as, Fig. 1.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in both the figures.

In the drawings, a represents a circular brush mounted on a shaft 1), which is journal ed in hearings in a supporting-frame.

0 represents a water-tank below said brush, and (Z represents a capillary conductor or feeder of wicking, sponge, or other suitable 5o material, having one end in contact with the water and the other end in contact with the periphery of the brush. Means may be provided for adjusting said wick or conductor, and to this end a tube may be provided to hold the wick, and one or more adjustingratchets, such as are used for lamp-wicks. I prefer, however, to present the side of the wick to the brush, and to hold the wick on a curved bed d, Fig. 2, by means of ears 6, Fig. 1, formed on said bed.

The tips of the bristles of the rapidly-rotating brush moving over the saturated wick become moistened uniformly without collecting an excess of water, so that the water is not thrown off but remains on the brush material and acts on the upper or other artiole which is presented to the brush at the point 2. The action of the rapidly-moving moistened bristle or brush tips on the leather is such as to rapidly clean and brighten the same without removing any of the finish thereof, and without leaving it too damp.

I prefer to provide two brushes, located side by side on the same shaft, one of the brushes being operated in a dry and the other in amoist condition, thus enabling the operator, without change of position, to present the upper to the damp brush and to the dry brush in succession, the latter acting to remove all moisture from the leather and impart a final luster thereto. I prefer to arrange a scraper or gutterz' in such proximity to the periphery of the damp brush that it will collect therefrom the'blacking and dirt with a portion of the water that the brush material has taken up. Said scraper or gutter is arranged with one edge close to the periphery of the brush, just above the point where the upper is presented to the brush, so that the brush material is deprived of said matter before it comes 9 in contact with the upper. A tube j, preferably flexible, conducts away the water and other matter removed by the scraper from the brush and discharges the same at any convenient point, as into a bucket 7c. The

scraper is adjustable so that it may bemoved toward the axis of the brush to compensate for wear of the brush material, or may be moved away from the periphery of the brush when its use is not required. The means here I shown for adjusting the scraper are screws 2" g, mounted to rotate in a bracket on the sup l have here shown a moisteuing wick or conductor, and a scraper for each brush, the wick and scraper of the dry brush being preferably i guide and in contact with thebrush,substanadjusted so that they are not in contact with the periphery thereof. This arrangement onables either brush to be used wet or dry, so that in case one brush becomes wet or dirty the wick ot' the other brush can be adjusted to moisten the latter, the machine being run without using the previously wet brush until it has been dried.

The wick or .t'eeder supporting bed (1 may be adjusted backwartilly to remove the wick from the brush when it is desired to avoid nniiistening the latter.

I do not limit myself to a machine having two brushes, nor to the conjoint use of a conductor or feeder and a scraper with a brush, as the scraper can be dispensed with. results are produced, however, when the scraper used. The brush material preterably ordii'iary bristles, such as are commonly used for brushes of various kinds.

I claim 1. In aleather brushing or cleaning machine, the combination of the tank or reser- I -letter I voirhavingthe bcdor supportmounted thercl on, the feeder havingone end in the tank and the other end supported on the bed, and the brush adapted to revolve against the feeder, substantially as descril'iet'l.

in a leather brushing or cleaning machine, the combination of the tank, the guide or bed on said tank, the brush adjacent; to said guide, and the wick having one end in the tank and the other end resting on the tially as and for the purpose described.

:3. in a leather brushing or cleaning ma chine, the combiiut-tion ot' the tank or reser' voir, the brush arranged above said reservoir, the wick having one end in the reservoir and the other end in contact with the brush, and the scrapers arranged above and .in contact with the brush, substantially as and 't'or the purpose described.

4-. '[n a leather brushing or (cleaning ma chine, the combination of a tank or reservoir, brushes arranged above said reservoir, wicks leading from the reservoir to said brushes, scrapers having gutters for removing the surplus liquid from the brushes, and a pipe or tube comnnmicating with the gutters for cont'lucting the liquid therefrom, substantiall as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name to this spccitieat ion in the tnesenee of two sub- Y scribing witnesses, this 29th dayol December,

HAROLD A. WlCl-BS'IE t.

Witne' (1. lg. bnowiv,

XV. (1.. P. :ULSAY. 

